Ever since I saw my first meaningful use dashboard in an EMR, I’ve been interested to see the various ways that EMR companies are implementing and tracking meaningful use in their EMR. So, I was really interested to check out this SOAPware EHR video which walks their users through their various meaningful use features. I should mention that this is their training video and not meant as a marketing piece which is exactly why I like it. It’s 11 minutes long, but if you watch even the first couple minutes you’ll get a good idea for how they’ve attacked the meaningful use requirements for their users.
I really like their meaningful use dashboard and the access to the data. My only fear with their dashboard is that they might be providing too much data and not enough of an overview screen. I think most providers are going to want a little more of a “key indicators” dashboard which gives them a nice summary overview of all the MU requirements and how they’re doing. At least from the video, it seems like it’s showing a little too much data on the front end rather than showing a nice overview and then letting you drill down if needed. Reminds me of my Business Intelligence classes in college. The executives (the doctors) mostly want to see the overview, but they want the ability to drill down if needed or have some other staff member drill down and see what’s wrong.
I find their patient dashboard concept pretty intriguing. I love how it updates in real time your compliance with the meaningful use requirements as you see the patient. I’ll leave the discussion of whether or not compliance with meaningful use should be a central part of patient care for another day. However, I think the real time updating of compliance in the patients chart is a really nice way to fix the issues as they arise instead of trying to correct them after the fact.
In the video they show the MU patient compliance dashboard on the left side, I think that’s configurable and can be moved to the other side or hidden. At least I really hope that meaningful use compliance doesn’t become so prominent in patient visits that it deserves a spot as the left sidebar.
I’m sure I could go in and comment on each feature they demonstrate on the video, but there’s a little flavor of what SOAPware is doing to meet meaningful use. I’d love to see other demo videos of how EMR companies are helping their doctors meet the meaningful use requirements. Screenshots of their dashboards would be interesting as well.
Full Disclosure: SOAPware is an advertiser on this site.
I’m also interested to see the various ways that EMR companies are implementing and tracking meaningful use in their EMR. They are now Hitech and seemed to climbing up on the top of other companies!
John, this is better than most I’ve seen from EMR companies and I looked at many of them. If you want to look at something that works across all EHRs and can be used by providers, staff, service partners and RECs, give me a shout. Previews have been very well received and we are about go to production.
Strangely, meaningful use has to be both structural and procedural, but a real time feedback could only impact procedural. “Structural” meaning that if the EMR bones don’t support a given use case, it’s irrelevant whether the MD’s intent or processes WANTED to participate in meaningful use.
In my opinion, meaningful use has to become a way of practicing medicine, which means that the clinical processes have to change and their EMR has to support evolving processes and workflows…few do that.
Mike
David Lee,
I’d love to see what you’re working on. Do you have a video for it?
Interesting that you have a solution that works across all EHRs. I’ll be interested to see how you go about accomplishing that.
An EHR-wide dashboard is not impossible….but certainly quite a challenge.
I’ve worked with a company who’s only product was a “connector” from any EHR to any PM. They do good work, but if they don’t have your EHR or PM already developed, you could expect at least a $5000 setup charge.
My point?
Each EHR has a different database structure, naming convention, etc. Sure there are standards…but…
Like I said, quite a challenge, but if you guys have all EHR’s ready to go, that will be interesting to look at.
John L., sent you an email to set up time to show you. Mike, totally agree. Eventually, MU has to become part of how providers do their job. In the mean time, they need all the help they can get to MU on top of the normal challenges of going from paper to electronic. I think smart vendors will fill this gap and I hope I am doing my part to fill that gap. Good post.
Hi all, if John or anyone else is interested to see what other EMR companies are doing for MU, may I suggest also seeking companies who do not advertise on this site, just to be fair.
For the past 25 years ifa has had MU in the bag. It has always been the position that the company should make it as easy as possible on the client/office/Doctor/staff to collect the structured data and be able to provide comprehensive MU. I love this article & the fore thinking that the comments bring out. I would love to show you the ifa software. They have been an international leader & one of the first 100% Drummond certified EMR to help offices collect on stimulus.
Thank you. Love the post!
LMJ,
I’ve covered and looked at what a number of companies that don’t advertise on this site’s meaningful use approach. I first wrote about the MU dashboard that I saw from Ingenix (not an advertiser). All but a couple of the EMR vendors I talked with at HIMSS weren’t my advertisers. Not to mention, I’m looking at David Lee’s MU offering as mentioned above (and he doesn’t advertise). Of course, my real goal is to get every EMR vendor advertising on the site. That way people won’t question my independence anymore;-)
I’ll send you an email to take a look at IFA’s software as well. I’d love to see how you’re approaching meaningful use for your providers.
I’m glad to hear you found the post interesting and useful. That’s the goal.
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